Katawa Shoujo Forums

This may have been discussed before, but I feel like it's worth asking since it's probably well buried by now. Has anybody played this during a time they actually had a girlfriend? If so, then what the heck is that like? I can't imagine having all these feels and then seeing somebody you're supposed to have more feels for almost every day at the same time. That seems like it would be overload. How'd you manage, if you even did?

Also, poll question to monitor the general population's answer.

I'm in a long-term relationship. Technically, we're in a common-law marriage at this point.

It's just a game, bro. I liked the stories but they're not real. It's nothing to do with my actual relationship.

Nope because to quote the last female I opened my heart to I'm "too emotional and shouldn't even try dating"


Yeah...

My girlfriend actually suggested it to me surprisingly after she had played through Hanako's route herself, it just came up in conversation (as we both browse 4chan a lot) and I decided to give it a try... Loved every bit of it. I agree with above, its just a story and the characters; as hard as it is to admit, do not exist. We are still dating and I still read other VNs and I am currently devolving my own.
Anyway hope it helped

-Your friendly neighbourhood LemonPirate

Having a significant other doesn't mean you can't enjoy a story about romance. In fact, you would probably be able to appreciate it better, because it's more likely to be something you can relate to.

You are not Hisao (despite you controlling some of his actions), and you are not dating Emi/Shizune/Hanako/Lilly/Rin. Immersion is one thing, but completely being a character outside the context of the story strikes me as an unhealthy habit.

(Though personally, I dislike using the phrase "just a story", as if to say that stories cannot have importance. Because they can, and they do. We use them all the time to understand ourselves and the rest of the world.)

No girlfriend, because I'm incredibly awkward in serious situations and I can't differenciate between someone being friendly with me and someone being flirty with me.

It's not too bad being single. Just ignore the crippling lonliness and isolation and drink coffee.

Munchenhausen wrote:No girlfriend, because I'm incredibly awkward in serious situations and I can't differenciate between someone being friendly with me and someone being flirty with me.

It's not too bad being single. Just ignore the crippling lonliness and isolation and drink coffee.

mhmmmm... Coffee

LemonPirate wrote:My girlfriend actually suggested it to me

Huh. I think that may be the first instance I've heard of this.

Alright, interesting. I didn't mean to suggest that the characters would replace your life or anything, I just thought it might be too many feels to handle all at once.

SpunkySix wrote:Alright, interesting. I didn't mean to suggest that the characters would replace your life or anything, I just thought it might be too many feels to handle all at once.

That's like saying you can't enjoy strawberries because you already like grapes.

They're two totally different things. The way a story like Katawa Shoujo makes me feel and the way my wife makes me feel are entirely unrelated.

SpunkySix wrote:Alright, interesting. I didn't mean to suggest that the characters would replace your life or anything, I just thought it might be too many feels to handle all at once.

This thread suggests to me that you have trouble separating fantasy from reality, never mind letting "too many feels" interfere with your emotional state for anything other than a very short period.

I hate to say it, but KS is not unique in making an emotional impression on people. There are plenty of movies and books people get emotionally invested in. (both males and females) And it usually doesn't cause hiccups in relationships.

This thread suggests to me that you have trouble separating fantasy from reality, never mind letting "too many feels" interfere with your emotional state for anything other than a very short period.

I actually read it as never having been in a relationship before and therefore getting the wrong idea about it.

Guest Poster wrote:I actually read it as never having been in a relationship before and therefore getting the wrong idea about it.

That was exactly my thought. This isn't mental illness, it's just inexperience. Luckily that's a problem that usually solves itself sooner or later.

Guest Poster wrote:I hate to say it, but KS is not unique in making an emotional impression on people. There are plenty of movies and books people get emotionally invested in. (both males and females) And it usually doesn't cause hiccups in relationships.

This thread suggests to me that you have trouble separating fantasy from reality, never mind letting "too many feels" interfere with your emotional state for anything other than a very short period.

I actually read it as never having been in a relationship before and therefore getting the wrong idea about it.

I can confirm that I have no idea how to relationship, so this is probably that.

As for separating fiction from reality, that's not an issue. I've overcome my initial burst of spazzy emotion and I can see fairly clearly that, whether I like it or not, KS is just a game, Emi and the other students are not real in any way and that I'll be fine without all of it being ever present in my life. I just sort of panicked a little because I realized that I was slipping back in to a state that I have fought hard to escape from and it manifested itself as... whatever happened in that topic.

Thanks for clearing that up - the topic makes a little more sense now.

I wonder a bit about all the very young people who've never had a relationship and are thinking KS is some kind of guide...